Orange You Glad this Glaze is So Good?

A few years back I put together a cookbook of all of our family recipes.  I use it all the time, and many of the posts for this blog are veganized versions of recipes from the book.  One of my favorite sections is the one filled with sauces, rubs, marinades and glazes.  There is nothing like a great glaze or marinade to spice up a vegetarian meal (especially tofu and tempeh which happily take on the flavors of whatever you cook it with).

This orange glaze can be used with tofu, tempeh, or any little old thing you have a hankering for.  I like it best with tofu over rice and vegetables.  This recipe makes enough for one container of tofu or one brick of tempeh.  Add water as directed for a thinner glaze, or omit the water altogether (as I did) for a thicker, gooey glaze.  Either way it is super easy and delicious.

2 tablespoons water (I omitted the water for a thicker glaze)
5 tablespoons Florida Crystals sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
10 whole cloves
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon diced cherry peppers (optional, but it really adds a nice kick)
1/2 cup orange juice

1. Combine all ingredients and pour over tofu or tempeh or gardein cutlets browned with salt and pepper.
2. Bake in baking dish at 350º for about 30 minutes until thickened and bubbling.  Check halfway through cooking and turn tofu (or tempeh or gardein cutlets) so both sides get coated.

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I Finally Trust You Enough to Share my Recipe for Black Magic Cake!

I have trust issues, Folks.  My issues are varied, come in all shapes and sizes, and will take lots of therapy to overcome.  My life has changed a lot since I've started this blog.  I've divorced, moved back to my hometown with my kids, fallen for a new fella and moved the big lug in.  I've really been trying to work on fresh starts and a positive attitude and not being so guarded and . . . skeptical of everyone.

So what in the hell does this have to do with chocolate cake, you ask?  Great question!  This recipe means a lot to me.  I can't remember a family celebration when this cake wasn't in the middle of our big table.  My father would make this for every birthday and knew the recipe by heart.  Then, years ago, I made a family cookbook and it was the first time I had seen an actual recipe.  For every celebration after that, I would make Dad's Black Magic Cake, and it was awesome.

Then I started this blog, and figured one day I would tinker with his original recipe and not only veganize it, but make it, well, awesome-er.  In the past few years every time I attempted to transform the recipe I would doubt myself and never changed it.  I didn't trust my skills and didn't trust that I would be able to make a vegan version that was even close to what I grew up with.  And then something magical happened: my son asked for the cake for his 10th birthday, and added that I should post the recipe on Vegerrific.

The beautiful thing is I just "went with it," trusted that I had good instincts and- damn it all- I do believe that this is the best cake I have ever made, eaten, and allowed my children to devour until they were in chocolate comas.  It was, without a doubt, awesome-er!

Dry Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups Florida Crystals sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

6 ounces (3/4 cup) coconut yogurt (vanilla flavor)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons Egg Replacer, mixed with 4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon chocolate extract (or just double the vanilla extract)
2 tablespoons instant espresso prepared with 1 cup water, cooled to room temperature
Desired frosting (recipe follows for my Black Magic frosting)

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Mix all the dry ingredients in bowl and set aside.
2. Mix all wet ingredients, beating with hand mixer for two minutes exactly.
3. Combine both mixtures, stirring gently. When all ingredients are wet, beat with hand mixer for 2 minutes. The batter may be thick.
4. Pour into a greased and floured 9” x 13” x 2” pan or two round cake pans. For the record, we always made this cake in a rectangular baking dish and didn't mess with trying to make a pretty round cake.  We are cake eaters in this family, not cake decorators.
5.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Check for doneness at 35 minutes.
6. Spread with Black Magic Frosting when cooled (recipe follows).

"Look, Ma . . . no salmonella!' (Get it? 'Cause there aren't any eggs in the cake batter!)

Black Magic Frosting

2 tablespoons softened Earth Balance (more to taste for creamier frosting)
1 tablespoon instant espresso prepared with 1/2 cup water, cooled to room temperature
4 tablespoons coconut milk 
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
32 ounces of Florida Crystals powdered sugar
2 pinches ground cinnamon
1 bag of vegan chocolate chips (if desired)

1. Combine Earth Balance, coffee, cocoa and cinnamon. Add creamer, blending well.
2. Add sugar cup by cup, beating to desired consistency.
3. Add more Earth Balance to make the frosting creamier if desired.
4. Frost cake and the cover top with chocolate chips, of using.

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